Manure-loader



A. HOSSFELD.

MANUBE LOADER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. I9I8.

Patented June 29, 1920.

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MANURE LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. I9Is.

Patented June 29, 1920.

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A. HOSSFELD.

MANURE LOADER. APPLICATION FIALED FEB. 9. 191s.

1, 345,088. Patented Jun@ 29, 1920.

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. l y H/.s /TTo/v/srs. www Mmmm WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERTHoss-TELD, yor LEwIsToN, MINNESOTA, Assis-Non To THE ,HossrELD MANUFACTURING oo., or MINNESOTA.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT ,IcIossrELm a citizen of the United States, residing at Lewiston, in the county of Winona and State of Minnesota, have Yinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Manure- Loaders; and I do hereby declare Vthe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as kwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to Vmake and use the same.

My invention provides what I havey seen lit toidesignate as a Vmanure loader, but whichy is, nevertheless, capable of a wide range of use for loading various other materials, such as sand, gravel, dirt, straw, and the like, into a wagon boX or'onto ay rack.

Generally stated, the invention consistsof the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement on or modiiication ofthe machine disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,190,550, of date, June 11, 1916, entitled Manure loader and involves various important novel features ofimprovements which greatly improve the action of the machine.

In the present improved machine and in the prior machine, I employ one or more rotary forks or scoops in an arrangement wherein I utilize centrifugal force 'to hold the fork or' scoop radially proj ectedwhile it is picking up its load and provide a'yield.- ing device which will allow the fork or scoop to move radially toward the aXis around which it rot-ateswhen ithasbeen loaded, and its advance rotary Amovement retarded. rlhe latter movement permits the loaded fork or scoop to pick itself up and pass over the pile upon which it is acting.

The chief novel features of the present invention are directed to the means for operating the fork or scoop on the plan above described. rlhe teim scoop will be hei'ein used in a seiisebroad enough to include either a fork or shovel. -For picking up manure, straw or the like, a fork will be used, while for picking up sand or dirt, for example, a scoop,V shovel, or bucket will be employed.

For throwing the load from the fork or scoop, Vat the proper point in the upper movement thereof, I provide a so-called ejec- 1Nc.,-or LnwisToM MINNESOTA, A eoRroRATIoN 4'MiiiwnE-LGABER. Y

Specification of LettersPatent.V Patgnted June 29, ,1920. Application filed February 9, 1918. Serial No..216,16.1. i l

,torv and improved means yfor operating the 'SLKIIl- Preferably also, the ,loader is mounted on av carriage having wheels adapting it to move forward as the picking-.up and loading .operation advances; and preferably atl least part of the wheels of this carriage are arranged vto be driven vby a .motor that also i serves to operate the machine in the loading action.

The invention also, as will hereinafter aplpear inthe detailed descriptiongof the drawings, involves other important novel fea` tures.

. In the drawings, like .characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. Y

.Referring to the drawings,

Figure l is a frontelevation ofthe im-v n proved loader with the so-called hood ythereof removed;

Fig. 2 is a right side elevation of the machine, some parts being removed;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the loading fork with its` vcarrying arm, coperating ejector and its actuating connections:

Fig. 4 is a side elevation ofthe parts shown in Fig. 3, looking at the same from the right toward the left, in respect to Fig. 3, and withsome'parts broken away and some parts sectioned; Y

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the so-called stop link which limits the radial outward movement of the fork or scoop zand involves a frictionl device for resisting initial inward movement thereof;

' Fig. Gis a sideelevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig.A 7 is al front elevation of the so-called combined shield and deiiecting hood used in connection with the machine'.

The various parts of the vloader hereinafter described are all carried directly or in directly from a truck or carriage involving a truck frame 8 on which is mounted a suitable motor, such as an internal combustion y engine 9, the shaft l0 which is, as shown, provided with a Adriving pulley l1. So far as the broad features of this invention are concerned, the truck frame may be mounted on wheels, oi' otherwise, in various different i ways, but preferably it is mounted on a 'multiplicity of wheels in the following novel arrangement.

At one side, the truck frame is .provided with a pair of traction wheels l12 located,

one ahead of the'other and adapted to run on the ground; and on its opposite side, it is provided with a pair of relatively small flanged Wheels 18 that are adapted to run on a carriage rail 14 such asa 2X4 laid upon the ground. As shown, the Wheels 18 are loosely journaled to yoke-like bearing brack ets 15 rigidly secured to the adjacent side of the frame 8, as best shown in Fig. 1. Located intermediate of the truck frame, is a transverse counter shaft 16 journaled in bearings 17 on said` frame and provided at one end with a sprocket 18, and at its other end with a sprocket 19.

The hubs of the traction Wheels 12 carry sprocket Wheels 20 over Which and the sprocket 18 runs an endless sprocket chain 21. 'l

When the machine is at Work, it Will rest on the Wheels 12 and 18 and the latter Will preferably run on the rail 14. When, however, the machine, out of action, is to be moved from. one distant place to another, it

lis preferably carried on two, front Wheels 22 and rear Wheels 28. The rear Wheels 28 are detachably journ'aled to suitable trunnion equipped brackets on the rear side end portions of the truck frame S'While the Wheels 22 are journaled to the axle of a sort of lead truck 24 that is detachably connected to the front end of the frame 8 by a knob, ball or bar 25. Fig. 2 shows the machine supported from and carried by the said Wheels 22 and 28. I

Rigidly secured to and rising from the front portion'v of the truck frame 8 is a trussed superframe or standard 26 shown as made up of spaced Aframes and suitable cross ties. Journaled in suitable bearings on the uppermost portion of the superframe 26 is a driving shaft 27 which, at its rear end, carries a sprocket 28 and a pulley 29. A main driving belt 80 runs over the pulley 29, underrthe engine pulley 11 andagainst a belt tightening pulley 81. This tightening pulley 81 is j ournaled on the crank end of a crank shaft 82 mounted in suitable bearings in the frame 26 and provided' with a lever 88, by means of which it may be oscillated to move the said tightening pulley and put the belt 8O under driving strain at Will.

Extended transversely of the vtruck and journaled in suitable bearings on the frame 26 and on a supplemental pedestal 26a is a counter shaft 84 which, at one end, has a counter shaft 10. By the connectionsy just.

described and those previously described, the traction wheels 12 and 18 will be simultaneously driven from the counter shaft 84.

The counter shaft 84 is Varranged to bel driven by a rope belt 89 that runs over the grooved pulley 85, over a groovedpulley 40 on the hub ofthe engineV pulley 11 and Yover a pair ofloose belt tighteningpulleys 41. These belt tightening pulleys 41 are journaled to a forked head 42 that is mounted to slide or move vertically on the upper portion of the adjacent side of the. superframe 26 and isconnected by a link 48 to a lever 44 pivoted to a suitable bearing on the frame 26. By manipulation of the lever 44 the pulleys 41 may be raised, at Will, to tighten the belt 89 so that it will drive theYV shaft 84, and thereby, through the connections described, rotate the traction Wheels of the truck and cause the machine to advance. Obviously, When the lever 44 is released, belt 89 Will be given slack and Will instantly cease itswheel driving action.

The scoop is carried by the free end of an arm that is pivoted to the crank end of a crank shaft, and this crankshaftl is journaled in the free end of an arm-like supporting frame Which, in turn, is pivotally mounted for movement in either direction on the shaft 27 or on bearings surrounding said shaft 'andrigidly secured to the frame 26.

Describing these elements inthe reverse order Vfrom Which they have just been enuticularly Figs. 1 and'2). The scoop carrying arm 47 (see Figs. 1, 8 and 4) lis a bifurcated trussed structure and is pivotally mounted on the crank pin'46b of theV crank shaft 46. The scoop' shown is in the form of a'fork made up of a head 48vand tines 49, the said Vtines being in .U-shape formation (see particularly Figs. 8 and 4)', and the said head 48 is rigidly connected to the free end of the arm 47 Normally, the fork-equipped end of the arm 47 is held in its maximum projection from the axis of the crank shaft 46 by an endwise contractible and extensible thrust link that includes in its structure a frictional detaining Vclamp the preferred arrangement of which parts will noW be described in detail. K

The body of the link is made up of a cen# tral bar 50 and outside clamping bars 51. The inner end of the bar 50 is ivotally connected to a lug on the crank s aft 46, While the outer ends of the bars 51 are pivoted to the outer'end of the arm 47. The extended vend of the bar 50 is interlapped with the sliding movements.

inner ends of the bars 5l. That portion of the bar 50 that interlaps with the bars 5l is formed with frictional surfaces 5()il and 501 and beyond the latter with a stop head 50C. The frictional portion 50b is wider than the frictional portion 502t and is united therewith by oblique cam surfaces, and the frictional portion 50EL is wider than the inwardly extended portion of said bar 50, and is likewise united therewith by oblique cam surfaces. The small friction blocks 52 are interposed between the opposite faces of the friction surfaces 50il and the inner ends of the bars 51 and similar friction blocks 53 are interposed between the friction surfaces 50h and the said bars 5l. are clamped against the said coperating frictional surfaces of the bar 5l by coiled springs 54 held iny position by laterally spaced nut-equipped bolts 55 and coperating metal clips 56. The said bolts 55 also guide the bars 50 and 5l for true endwise The numeral 57 indicates a buffer spring placed on the small inner end portion of the bar or link member 50. The function of the above described extensible link and frictional clamp will more fully appear in the description of the operation. i

The head of the so-called load ejector is in the form of a fiat plate 58 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4) and is provided with perforations that freely pass the teeth of the fork 49 therethrough, so that normally, the said plate will lie flat against the head of the fork, as shown in said views. This head plate 58 is rigidly secured to the end of an ejector arm 59 which, at its inner end, is pivoted at 60 to brackets 61 on the arm 47.

lntermediately pivoted on the crank piny 46" of the crank shaft 46 is an ejector operating bell crank 62 which, as shown, inciudes an oblique truss strap .622l (see Figs.

l, 3, and 4). At its rear end, the bell crank is provided with a roller 63, and at its front end, is connected to a link 64. This link 64, at its outer end, is pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of the ejector arm 59. The pivotal connection between the link 64 and bell crank 62 is made adjustable by a nut-equipped bolt 65 that works in any one of a plurality of lon-v gitudinally spaced holes in said link. The purpose of this arrangement, as will hereinafter appear, is to vary the amount of movement that will be givenl to the ejector head 58. A coiled spring 66 shown as attached to the ejector arm 59 at or near its pivot and the outer end of the bell crank 62, acting through the link 64, yieldingly holds the ejector head or plate 58 normally against the fork head 48.

,Lying within the path of movement of the inner end of the bell crank 62 and positioned for engagement with the roller 63 thereof,

and 4)..

' end,

The said slices .rod member 72.

bell crank 67 are shown as connected by a trussed strap 67a. The lower arm of said bell crank 67 is connected to the outer endv of an adjustingA bar 68 which, at its inner has longitudinally spaced notches adapting it to be adjustably connected to a lug or detent 69 on one side of the frame 26.

To counter balance `the arm 47, fork 49, adjustable link and other parts carried therewith, l provide a counter-weighted arm 70 which, at its inner end, is `pivoted on the crank shaft 46, and at its outer end has a quite heavy weight 71. The free end of the arm 7 O is connected to the crank `pin 46b of the said crank shaft by an endwise resilient .link made up of two telescopically movable or endwise sliding members 72 and 73 ,(see Fig. l). The link member 72 is pivoted on the wrist pin 46b while the outer end. ofthe'link member 73 is pivotally connected to the outer end of the arm 7 O. Opposing coiled springs 74 are placed on the These l opposing coiled springs 7 4 react against an intermediate abutment 75 on the Vlink member 7 3 and against collars or abutments 76 on the rod member 72. Hence, these coiled springs cushion the movement of the weighted arm 70 in both directions.

Means are provided for supporting the oscillatory frame or supporting arm 45 in different vertical positions; `and as shown, these means are as follows:

The numeral 77 indicates an upright strut or post which,at its lower end, as shown, is anchored to the journal pin -or bolt 13a of one of the small traction wheels I3, and at its upper end is extended with clearance through and far upward beyond the outer end portion of the-said frame or arm'45, and at its extreme upper end, has a sheave V78 (see Fig. l). The numeral 79 indicates a chain or other form of cable which is attached atits outer end to the free end vportion of the oscillatory frame or arm 45, is passed upward and over the sheave 78, thence downward andunder a guide sheave 80 von a projection on arm 45', and thence is brought rearward and attached to a wind- 'less sleeve 81 journaled on the shaft 27 and wheel and lock dog, may be used to lock the windless sleeve 8l against rotation to therebyV hold the frame 45 set at any desired elevation.

vabove indicated purpose.

serves to take up the slack in the chain 84.

Preferably, I provide also a compression coiled spring 87 which cooperates with other devices to yieldingly hold the arm 47 and its fork pressed forward in the direction ofY its rotation, which direction of rotation is indicated by the large arrow marked on Fig. 1. This spring 67 is placed on a rod 88, the inner end of which is pivotally 4connected to the main crank shaft 46, the outer end of which works freely through a passage in the armsv47.

The fork will discharge its load while it is moving toward the left, in respect to Fig. 1 from its uppermost position toward a horizontal position. The numeral 89 (see particularly in Fig. 7 but noted also by dotted lines in Fig. 2) indicates a shield in the nature of a board set edgewise in a vertical plane and extended close to one side or along the line of discharge movement of the fork. This shield, as shown, is supported at one end Nby a braced link 90, and at its other end by a rod 91. The link 90 is pivotally connected to the shaft 46 or to the adjustable frame 45 adjacent to vsaid shaft. The rod 91 moves telescopically in a tubular post 92 which, at its lower end (see Fig. 1) is pivoted to the front end of the truck frame 8. The numeral 93 (seeFigS. l and 7 indi- Cates an extension rod that isI rigidly clamped to the upper end of the tubular post 92 and to the upper end of which is journaled a small windlass drum 94 formed on the hub of a hand wheel 95. A small chain orcable 96 is attached to the windlass drum 94 and the intermediate portion of the vertically adjustable rod 91, so that by rotation of the said windlass drinn, the rod 91 maybe vertically adjusted and the outer end portion of the shield 89 may be set at different elevations. Any suitable well known means may be provided for locking the windlass drum 94 and end wheel 95 against rotation. In Fig. 1, the numeral 97 indicates a lock dog pivoted to the rod 91 and with its free end engageable between the spokes of the said hand wheel for the At its inner end, the shield 89 is shown as provided with a laterally offset curved plate 98, and at its outer end, it is shown as provided with an approximately vertical stop plate 99 against which at least a part of the load will be thrown from the fork and then will drop into the wagon boX or onto the rack. The numeral 100 indicates a board that projects laterally from the upper edge of the shield VS9and is connected to the upper portion of the deflecting board 99.

pera/,tima ,Y

The oscillatory supporting frame 45 will, of course, be so vertically adjusted that the fork will properly pick up its load from the ground or from a stack. Under rotation of the main crank shaft 46, thecrank arm 46a, fork arm 47 and link 50-51will rotate together in triangular formation with the said link extended to its limit, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, and with the fork projected to its maximum radial distance from the axis of rotation.

lVhen the fork reaches approximately the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, it will be caused to pick up its load from the ground or from the stack, partly by the driving force of the driving connections described and partly by momentum. ln the act of picking up the load the forward rotary speed of the fork will be greatlydecreased, and if the resistance is considerable, it may be brought nearly toa stationary position. .Vhen the fork and its triangular support above noted revolve, the weighted ever, be cushioned by the springs 74 so that.

there will be no danger of breakage of any of the parts. When the motion of the fork in the load picking-up action is suddenly arrested, the outer spring 74 will be compressed an'd the reverse recoil from the arms will be taken by the inner of the said springs 74. The 4normal -frictional clamping actions between the'friction blocks 52 and and the friction surfaces 5()a and 501?, respectively, of the Vcollapsible or contractible link 50-51 is such as to insure the proper entry of the fork or scoop into the stack or material to be picked up, but is not sufficient to resist the positive driving action andthe hammer-like force delivered by the weighted arm 70-71, so that, as the fork approaches a position of rest in a position at a maximum distance from the axis of the crank shaft 46, the said frictional element of the link 50-51 will be overcome and the said link will shorten up and permit Vthe fork and its Aarm 47 to swing on the wrist pin '40h of the crank llO- shaft 46, so that the fork is moved radially traction of the link 50-51 inwhich position it will be noted that the lcushioning spring 57 is slightly compressed. It will, of

Y coursebe understood that the momentum of the fork and the outwardly pressing action of the spring 87 will be suflicient to cause rengagement of the friction surfaces 50 and 50" of the link member 5() withthe friction blocks 52 and .53 of the link member 51.

As the loaded fork continues its rotation and approaches its uppermost position, the

roller 63 of the ejector bell crank 62 willY come into contact with the tripping abutment or lever 67,and thereby, operating through said bell crank and the link 64 andv arm 59 will impart a c forward swinging movement to the ejectorhead or plate 58. This quick forward movement imparted to the ejector head will throw the load from the teeth of thefork and impart thereto a Y rapid movement on a line vthat will approximate a line that is tangenty to the line of rotation ofthe fork. This line of projection or discharge of the load from the fork will determine the point where the load will be ldeposited in the wagon box, on the rack,

or elsewhere, `for that matter. By adjustment of the trippingr abutment or lever 67,

the ejector `may be arranged to operate at v different positions of the fork, so as to throw the load Jfrom the fork either on a horizontal vline or on a line diverofing upwardly from a horizontal or downwardly from a horizontal, as may be desired, to effect the proper discharge of the loadv from the fork.

The shield described, at its rear portion, is adjustable with the supporting frame l5 and crank shaft 46, but the outer portion of the shield is adjustable. Hence, by adjustments of the outer end of the shield, the point at which the loads from the fork will be deposited, may be `considerably varied. The adjustment of the shield should always be such that the loads thrown from'the fork will strike the deflecting board 99, and hence, be caused to drop properly within the wagon box, or upon the rack which is to receive the material from the forks.

In picking up manure from a large pile, the machine will, from 'time to time, be

slightly advanced and, in the loading action',`

the oscillating supporting frame 45 will be given different vertical adjustments to keep the fork properly in action on the pile. Afterk the machine has made one complete trip across the pile, it should be shifted laterally closer to the pile and then be caused to make another trip across the pile until the pile has been completely picked up and loaded in wagons cron racks.

As already noted, simply by manipulation of the lever 33, the main driving belt 30 may be tightened or loosened at will, so as toathrow the fork carrying mechanism into `and out of action, as desired. It has also` been noted `that the forward driving action of the truck may be controlled simply by manipulation of the lever 44. For driving the tractor' in a reverse or backward direction it is only necessary to remove the belt 39, giving the same a half twist and then again apply the same to the grooved pulley 35.

The loader above described, while especially adapted for loading manure, is, nevertheless, adapted for and-has been used to pick up and load various other materials,

such as sand, dirt and gravel', and in such. In the use, has also been found ellicient. latter noted uses, the scoop .is madein the form ofa shovel or bucket that is adapted to hold sand and Ysuch materials without leakage.

IVhat I claim is:

l. In a loader, the combination with a crank shaft and means for rotating the same, ofan arm pivotally lmounted on the crank of-said shaft and equipped with .a scoop at its outerend, an endwise contractible and extensible thrust link interposed between said crank shaft and the scoopequipped endv offsaid arm, the said thrust link including a spring engaged frictional detainer, the elements of which are under maximum frictional engagement when said link is extended, and which, when the linkV is contracted by forced inward movement of the scoop, gives away and permits further contracting' movement of. said link under very greatly decreased resistance.

2. In a loader, the combination with a crank shaft and means for rotating the same, of an arm pivotally mounted on the crank of Vsaid shaft and equipped with a scoop at its outer end, an endwise contractible and extensible thrust link interposed between said crank shaft and the scoopequipped end of said arm, the said thrust link comprising two members, one of which is made up of a single bar with longitudinally spaced transversely widened friction surfaces, and the other member of which is made .up of two laterally spaced spring bars provided with friction blocks engageable with the frictional surface of said single member, and springs for frictionallyengaging the saidblocks and friction surfaces when said link is extended to its limit.

3. In a' loader, the combination with a crank shaft and means for rotating the same, of an arm pivotally mounted on the .tween said crank shaft and the scoopequipped end of said arm, the said thrust link including a spring engaged frictional detainer, the elements of which are under maximum frictional engagement when said link is extended, and which, when the link is contracted by forced inward movement of the scoop, gives away and permits further contracting movement of said link under very greatly decreased resistance, an ejector arm pivoted to said scoop-equipped arm and provided with an ejector head coperating with said scoop, an ejector leverintermediately pivoted to said crank shaft and connected to said ejector arm, a spring yieldingly holding said ejector head and arm and lever retracted, and a trip abutment operative directly on said ejector lever and indirectly on said ejector arm to eject the load from said scoop at a predetermined point in. thetravel of the latter.

4. In a loader, the combination with a crank shaft and means for rotating the same, said crank shaft having a crank pin formed by an end .portion thereof turned backward parallel to the body of said crank shaft, of a scoop carrying arm pivoted on said crank pin'v and provided with a scoop at its outer end, and means yieldingly holding Said armprojected to its limit from the axis of said crank shaft.

5. In a loader, the combination with a crank shaft and means for rotating the same, said crank shaft having a crank pin formed by an end portion thereof turned backward parallel to the body of said crank shaft, of a scoop carrying arm pivoted on said crank pin and provided with a scoop atits outer end, means yieldingly holding said arm projected to its limit from the axis of said crank shaft, an ejector carriedwith said scoop, and means for operating said ejector to eject the load from said scoop at a predetermined point in the travel of the latter.

6. In a loader, the combination with a crank shaft and means for rotating the same,`of a scoop-carrying arm pivoted to the crank of said shaft and provided with a scoop at its outer end, means for limiting the movement of said scoop radiallyl from the yaxis of said shaft, and a counterweighted arm carried by said crank shaft and projected therefrom away from said scoop, the said counter-weighted arm being caused to rotate with said crank' shaft through a spring connection that permitsa limited rotary movement of one in respect to the other to thereby cushion the driving action of said weighted arm on the said scoop when the movement of the latter is interrupted, or retarded in the'loading action. v

crank and means for rotating-'the same, of

an arm pivotally mountedon said crank andv equipped with a scoop at its Vouter end, V

means for limiting the movement ofsaid scoop-equipped end of said arm 'outward-f from the axis of saidvcranlga yielding de-` tainer acting as an auxiliary to lcentrifugal force to hold said scoop at its maximum distance Vfrom the axis of said shaft, and a counter-weighted arm rotatable `around'the axis of said crank, projected therefrom in a direction opposite to the projection of said scoop-equipped arm and yieldingly' connected to rotate with said crank. p

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT IIOSSFELD. Vitnesses: i

J. L. DEEN, I'I. J. Busmciinn.` 

